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Linkages Newsletter Spring 2015

Four FACS Students Named Scholars of the College at Spring Commencement

Ericka Hardin, a Hospitality Management and Dietetics major from Crestwood, KY, was
named as one of the Scholars of the College of Health and Human Services. Ericka
is a double major and was also named as a Scholar of the Potter College of Arts and
Letters. She is an Honors College graduate as well;

Inge Patton, a Hospitality Management and Dietetics major, was named as one of the Scholars of
the College of Health and Human Services;

Krystal Steele, an Interior Design major from Cincinnati, OH, was named as one of
the Scholars of the College of Health and Human Services; and,

Jeffrey Walker, a Hospitality Management and Dietetics major from Wilmore, KY, was
named as one of the Scholars of the College of Health and Human Services. Jeffrey
is a double major and was also named as a Scholar of the Potter College of Arts and
Letters. He is an Honors College graduate as well.

Congratulations to all these deserving students!

FACS Student Named a Scholar of the College at December Commencement

Caitlynn Oberhausen, a nutrition and dietetics major from Russellville, KY, was
named as a Scholar of the College of Health and Human Services at the December WKU
Commencement. Congratulations, Caitlynn!

Outstanding FACS Students Honored

The following students were awarded honors on Saturday, April 11, at the College
of Health and Human Services Awards Celebration:

Marlee Connor Barton, Ft. Thomas, KY, Outstanding Family and Consumer Sciences Education
Student of the Year

Lauren Sanders received the K. Virginia Seidel Scholarship, a national scholarship
from the Educational Foundation of Phi Upsilon Omicron

Congratulations to all these hard-working students!

Interior Design Student Wins National Scholarship

Krystal Steele was awarded a national scholarship from the Planning and Visual
Education Partnership (PAVE). According to it's website, "The Planning and Visual
Education Partnership’s objective is to encourage students to study in the field of
retail design and planning and visual merchandising through its annual Student Design
Competition. Additionally, PAVE seeks to encourage retail management, store planners,
visual merchandisers, architects and manufacturers to interact with and support design
students."

Interior Design Students Complete Redesign and Presentation

Interior Design Studio IV students recently completed a redesign proposal for
the office of Imagewest on the WKU campus. The students interviewed Jenna Warrenfeltz,
Director of Imagewest, to determine the needs of her group. The students worked on
floorplan, materials and finishes, and digital renderings of the space. After the
presentation on April 1, Jenna remarked, "Thank you SO much, Sheila! The interns
who were in the office this morning absolutely loved the designs, and they're giving
all of us a fresh perspective and energy about what Imagewest can be. We were all
thoroughly impressed!"

Imagewest is the only full-service, revenue-generating, student-run advertising
and public relations agency in the nation. Students work with real clients in a hands-on
and collaborative team setting, from project conception to completion. Imagewest
is a distinctive, award-winning agency that has worked on a variety of projects for
over 150 clients. Not only does Imagewest cater to local, regional, and national
clients, but also recently traveled abroad to work with an international client as
well.

FACS Faculty Named Postsecondary Teacher of the Year

Dr. Doris Sikora was presented with the Postsecondary Teacher of the Year 2014-2015
award by the Kentucky Association of Career and Technical Education (KACTE). She
will be competing for the national award this fall. Dr. Sikora has provided leadership
in the Career and Technical Education (CTE) arena as a high school home economics
teacher, a university faculty and as department head of the Family and Consumer Sciences
department. She was president of KACTE in 2012-2013 and continued as KACTE President
for a second consecutive term in 2013-2014, when the need arose. During this time,
Dr. Sikora completed the first National ACTE State Leadership Training Program and
initiated and led the Teachers as Leaders--Empowering New Thinking Skills (TALENTS)
Teacher Leader Academy. The purpose of this academy is to foster teacher leaders
among Kentucky CTE teachers. Dr. Sikora states, "Not many people can say that they
have loved their job as much as I do. I have always loved teaching and seeing my
students graduate and become successful! I believe that as a teacher and teacher
educator my students come first. I need to be an advocate for them, not only all
through their education, but also after graduation into their career. Some say that
teaching is servant leadership, but I say 'teaching is leading with my heart.'"

HMD Faculty Named Kentucky Dietetic Educator of the Year

Jane Simmons was presented with the Kentucky Dietetic Educator of the Year Award
by the Kentucky Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics at their annual meeting in March,
2015. This award is the highest award given to a dietetic educator in the state of
Kentucky. Jane is the current Dietetic Internship Director at WKU and has been in
this position for three years. She has also been a full-time faculty member in the
Hospitality Management & Dietetics program for the past twelve years, and is currently
the coordinator for the Hospitality Management/Dietetics area. Her knowledge, skills,
experience, and resources are immeasurable and have been a wonderful asset to students,
interns, faculty, the HMD program, and the FACS Department. She brings real-world
examples to the classroom from her background, and she has adopted innovative methods
of teaching. Professionally, she is currently the elected treasurer of the Kentucky
Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics and the secretary of the Western District of the
Kentucky Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics. We are extremely proud that Jane received
this award and that she is a member of our faculty in FACS.

HMD Professor Retires

Dr. Rich Patterson will retire after the Spring 2015 semester. Dr. Patterson
came to WKU after he retired from the Army and has taught Hotel, Restaurant, and Tourism Management courses at WKU for the last 23
years. Dr. Patterson also took on the position of Assistant Dean for Facilities in
the last few years and oversaw the extensive renovations in the Academic Complex
in 2013-2014 and assisted several department moves into and out of the Academic Complex.
His immediate plans after retirement are to travel internationally with family members.

New Face Book Presence in FACS

Dr. Darbi Haynes-Lawrence has begun a Face Book page for the child and family
area. Search for "Child & Family Studies at WKU" on Face Book to see what is going
on in this area and to share your photos or announcements as well.

This new page joins the "WKU Interior Design Program" presence on Face Book that
is administered by Sheila Flener. This page has shared student activities, graduates
successes, internship and job opportunities, as well as news articles about the Interior
Design field since 2011.

FACS Faculty Receive Grant

Dr. Darbi Haynes-Lawrence and Dr. Adam West received a $27,000 grant from the
Multiple Sclerosis Foundation to conduct a national study entitled, "Parents with
Multiple Sclerosis: Children, Relationships and Resources."

FACS Faculty Member Writes, Directs, and Produces Educational Video

Dr. Darbi Haynes-Lawrence wrote, directed and produced a concussion education
video for the Women's Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA). This video is the result
of a year-long, international study on athletes and their perceptions of concussions.
This video will be incorporated into the skaters' annual testing/training.